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HIPS research greeted with derision
A recent survey by the Communities and Local Government department (CLG) concerning Home Information Packs (HIPs), has been greeted with derision by anti-HIP campaign group Sellers' Pack Law is not the Answer (SPLINTA).
The CLG's survey details some of the findings that the HIPs trials carried out between November 2006 and April 2007 produced.
Prior to the general introduction of HIPs later in 2007, the trials were criticised as few of the results of the trials were made public before the introduction of HIPs onto the entire residential property market.
Nick Salmon, head of SPLINTA, said that the figures quoted in the CLG press release are being used to spin the supposed benefits of HIPs and paint a thoroughly misleading picture of the reality of the packs in today's market.
Mr Salmon said: “The CLG say that 72 per cent of sellers were satisfied with HIPs in the trial. Of course they were, as the packs costs them nothing. I'm surprised it wasn't 100 per cent.
“Apparently 79 per cent agreed that trial packs contained 'everything expected'. That is a meaningless statement, as we have no idea what they were expecting.
“I find it extremely telling that this release is absolutely silent on the matter of whether or not HIPs are actually having a beneficial impact on transactions times and fall through rates in property sales.
Mr Salmon continued: “HIPs are unloved by the property industry and unwanted by the public. However, some local agents can see the positives. Mike Cole of Imagine Estate Agents in Watford, said: “While the introduction of HIPS has done nothing to endear the present government to Imagine, I can see that creating a system that guarantees real improvements on the speed and efficiency with which searches can be carried out and obtained is a genuinely positive step.”
SPLINTA has campaigned against the Home Information Pack since 2001 and now has an online petition running on the Number 10 Downing Street website to try and head off a further change to the HIP legislation later this year.
“A CLG spokesman refuted SPLINTA’s claims, and said: “We completely reject this analysis. Consumers are already benefiting from the introduction of HIPs.
“Search costs are falling as a result of increased transparency in the market; energy ratings can help people to reduce fuel bills, and first time buyers are receiving important information about their home for free,” the CLG spokesperson added.
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